FOURTEEN lives lost, thousands of homes and businesses destroyed and a $1.7b insurance bill - the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Debbie are still being felt across two Australian states one year after the monster storm slammed into Airlie Beach on March 28, 2017.

As residents of the Whitsundays, Mackay, central Queensland, Logan, the Gold Coast, Tweed, Ballina, Byron Bay and Lismore started counting the cost in the wake of Debbie's devastation last year, generous people and businesses donated cash, material aid and services.

About $395,123 in cash donations and 87,573 material aid items, including bedding, food, grocery vouchers and clothing, were donated in the past 12 months to Givit, which is responsible for distributing aid to those living in the cyclone zone.

News Corp - publisher of this paper - was the highest cash contributor, with the company donating $50,543 raised from sales of the special Defying Debbie tribute magazine. The special 132-page commemorative publication celebrated the "heroes who helped overcome adversity" in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.

News Corp NSW and Queensland regional titles general manager Simon Irwin thanked the community for digging deep.

"We are really pleased to be able to support people affected by Cyclone Debbie as well as celebrating the resilience of people in the regional communities that were hammered by this freak weather event," Mr Irwin said.

SPECIAL REPORT: Debbie the second most costly cyclone in Australia's history

Givit CEO Juliette Wright said even though 12 months had passed, her organisation was still helping communities to rebuild and recover.

"Many residents of northern Queensland, as well as those affected by the subsequent flooding in Logan, Scenic Rim, Gold Coast and northern NSW, are still rebuilding their lives and several homes are still uninhabitable," Ms Wright said.

"All of the funds received from generous Australians are going directly to cyclone-affected regions, to purchase goods and services locally to assist the essential needs of affected people and economic recovery of local businesses."

Murwillumbah Community Centre is just one of the many organisations to benefit from the nation's generosity, handing out more than 3000 donated hampers of food, toiletries and other items as well as countless grocery vouchers.

Mackay residents will also benefit from a $5000 News Corp-Givit grant, when that region's council uses the money to launch a special arts program that will help the local community build resilience.

Research shows that after disasters, the art process helps people recover and "become more resilient in the face of future disasters". - NewsRegional

BY THE NUMBERS

Givit Tropical Cyclone Debbie donations included:

CASH DONATIONS

News Corp - $50,543

Road Boss Rally - $50,000

Dowling Family Foundation - $36,000

S.C. Johnson - $20,000

Best and Less - $18,525

Pacific Coal Social Club - $13,575

Clayton Utz Foundation - $10,000

McCullough Robertson Lawyers - $10,000

Hume Doors & Timbers - $10,000

The Masters Proxy Pro-Am - $7388

North Queensland Opera & Music - $6676

Pro AV Solutions Queensland - $5000

MATERIAL AID DONATIONS

IGA - $100,000 in gift cards.

Coles - 50 x $100 gift cards, six pallets of water.

Westpac - Nine generators on loan.

Pacific Brands - 43,000 items of underwear and socks from Bonds, Jockey and Rio and Sheridan bed sheets and towels.

Reckitt Benckiser - 20,030 cleaning products, anti-bacterial products and mosquito repellent.

Krispy Kreme - 6000 doughnuts.

Coca Cola Amatil - five pallets of water.

San Pellegrino - 32 pallets of water.

S.C. Johnson - 990 items of cleaning products and mosquito repellent.

Tingirana Resort Noosa - 480 items of furniture, white goods, kitchen essentials.

Clark Rubber - 220 mattresses.

Koala Mattresses - 140 mattresses.

Adairs - 500 sheets and towels.

Frucor Beverages - 50 cases Up and Go drink.